The links between financial inclusion and financial stability: A study of BRICS

Abstract

In recent years financial inclusion has become an important policy goal in the developing countries. The definition of financial inclusion is however, not clear and varies from ‘banking the unbanked’ to ‘branchless banking’. It is also increasingly viewed as a tool of poverty alleviation. Further, it enables the poor to be risk averse and allows investment in their health and education (Arora 2012). Financial inclusion has become all the more important as studies have shown that poor, despite their low incomes and small amount of funds available, actively manage and diversify their portfolios into different financial products even though outside the formal financial system (Collins et al. 2009).